In modern motor vehicles, portable consumer electronic devices (such as “smart” phones, digital music storage/player devices, hand-held navigation systems, etc.) are increasingly frequently used to augment or replace the vehicle's “built-in” entertainment and/or navigation system(s).
It may be desirable to include in the vehicle interior, and particularly in the area of the dashboard or instrument panel, a mechanical support to hold such portable electronic devices in a “hand-free” manner. An electronic interface and/or a power supply connection for the device may also be desirable. The supports must hold the mobile devices securely, but should be as unobtrusive as possible when not in service. At the same time, the supports should ideally hold the device in a position in which it is easily viewed by vehicle occupants.